Preface

What follows is a tale that feels like a long, disorienting, at times exhilarating journey through the inner workings of professional golf and the golf industry. Whatever the sum of those events and adventures represented, it came to recognizable end for me in 1997 with the passing of Ben Hogan. This coincided with what seemed to be the changing of the guard when Tiger Woods turned professional and uttered the now famous words, “Hello World.” Unknowingly, we may have said “good-bye” to many of the traditions and values instituted in the Hogan era, and have said “hello” to a new era that has redefined the nature of the game and golf business.